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en-usFri, 09 Dec 2016 23:44:29 -0500Fri, 09 Dec 2016 23:44:29 -0500The latest news from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-administration-defense-spending-increase-2016-12Trump could make good on his defense spending promise in his first 100 dayshttp://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-administration-defense-spending-increase-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 23:17:00 -0500Rob Garver
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/57f4740e57540cb2018b4c83-2400" alt="Mike Pence" data-mce-source="Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Mike Pence." /></p><p></p>
<p>Barely one week after a blockbuster&nbsp;<em><a href="http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2016/12/06/Pentagon-Wasted-125-Billion-and-Buried-Evidence">Washington Post investigation</a></em>revealed that the Pentagon had suppressed a report identifying $125 billion in wasteful spending, Congress has passed the new National Defense Authorization Act, directing a fresh $619 billion to the Department of Defense. The bill, which sailed through both Houses of Congress with large, veto-proof majorities after having some controversial elements removed, now heads to President Obama&rsquo;s desk.</p>
<p>Covering military expenditures through the beginning of the first term of President-elect Donald Trump, the bill looks like a down payment on his promise to increase the size and capabilities of the military. The bill rolls back planned troops reductions, increasing the Army&rsquo;s end strength by 16,000 troops and the Marine Corps by 3,000. It also provides a 2.1 percent pay raise for members of the armed forces effective January 1.</p>
<p>The bill also bars the Defense Department from closing any military bases, despite the fact that the leadership in the Pentagon has told lawmakers that it has excess capacity.</p>
<p>The $619 billion figure represents a $3.2 billion increase in spending that is not matched by a similar increase in non-defense spending, something that recent budget compromises between President Obama and Republicans in Congress have typically required under the Budget Control Act of 2011. Congress will still be required to pass an appropriations bill detailing the way the Pentagon will be directed to spend much of the money the NDAA allocates.</p>
<p>The total price tag for national defense is only expected to rise in 2017. Lawmakers left funding for some major programs out of the proposal, including multiple upgrades to the Navy&rsquo;s fleet and the purchase of dozens of the troubled F-35 fighter jet to keep the headline number down. Rep. Mac Thornberry, chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said Thursday that he hopes the Trump administration will request even more defense funding once the new administration takes office.</p>
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/4ff346d2eab8eae65a000008-800/800px-thepentagonjanuary2008.jpg" alt="The Pentagon" data-mce-source="Wikimedia Commons" data-link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Pentagon_January_2008.jpg" /></p>
<p>That request appears to be a foregone conclusion, as Vice President Mike Pence said this week that the Trump administration will submit a request for supplemental defense spending within the first 100 days of taking office.</p>
<p>In what appears to be a nod to the inclinations of the Trump administration, the bill includes a recommendation that the U.S. implement a high-level officer exchange program with the Taiwanese military. It&rsquo;s a move that China, which views the island nation as a breakaway province, will view as provocative if it is implemented.</p>
<p>However, Trump has already shown a willingness to poke at Beijing, having taken the controversial step of speaking on the phone with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen after his election. As part of the country&rsquo;s &ldquo;One-China&rdquo; policy, no U.S. president had spoken to the leader of Taiwan since 1979.</p>
<p>The NDAA does make some nods toward cost reductions. It requires the Pentagon to trim the ranks of active duty generals and admirals by 110&nbsp;and includes a study intended to identify another 10 percent reduction.</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/58476fb4e02ba72b318b7893-2400/ap16342069900106.jpg" alt="Donald Trump" data-mce-source="AP Photo/Gerry Broome" data-mce-caption="Donald Trump." /></p>
<p>The bill also targets Pentagon acquisitions for reform by splitting the duties of the Defense Department&rsquo;s undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics between two posts: the undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, and the new job of undersecretary for research and engineering.</p>
<p>None of these steps, though, addresses the fact that the Pentagon&rsquo;s vast bureaucracy has never been successfully audited. Last summer, for example, an examination of the finances of the U.S. Army alone found misstatements and errors than ran into the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/23/politics/us-army-audit-accounting-errors/">trillions of dollars</a>. A push by Congress to force the Pentagon into &ldquo;audit readiness&rdquo; by the end of fiscal year 2017 is widely regarded as&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2016/07/31/Pentagon-s-Sloppy-Bookkeeping-Means-65-Trillion-Can-t-Pass-Audit">doomed to failure</a>.</p>
<p>The bill was able to pass both Houses of Congress by a wide margin after several controversial measures were removed. Among them were a proposal to allow defense contractors to exercise their &ldquo;religious freedom&rdquo; by discriminating against employees on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. Another measure would have required women to register for the draft.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-administration-defense-spending-increase-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/air-force-plane-drops-armored-humvees-5000-feet-2016-11">Watch the Air Force drop 8 armored Humvees out of a plane from 5,000 feet</a></p> Chip Somodevilla/Getty Imageshttp://www.businessinsider.com/trump-statement-russia-us-election-2016-12'It is now time to move on': Trump transition team casts doubt on CIA report Russia tried to help him winhttp://www.businessinsider.com/trump-statement-russia-us-election-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 22:30:32 -0500Chris Sanchez
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584b7160ca7f0c1e058b4cb5-2400/undefined" alt="Donald Trump" data-mce-source="Maddie McGarvey/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Donald Trump." /></p><p></p>
<p>President-elect Donald Trump's transition team <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cia-russia-helped-trump-win-us-election-2016-12">is casting doubt on a CIA report</a>&nbsp;that claimed Russia tried to aid&nbsp;him in the US election.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history." the Trump transition team's statement read. "It&rsquo;s now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again.'"&nbsp;</p>
<p>According to the report, intelligence officials identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided WikiLeaks with hacked emails and other documents that were damaging to the Democratic Party and its presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span>In October, US intelligence officials&nbsp;formally</span><span>&nbsp;accused Russia of&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-russia-hacking-democratic-party-dnc-leaks-2016-10">hacking&nbsp;the Democratic Party</a><span>&nbsp;after a series of&nbsp;cyberattacks against the organization.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>While the US initially thought Russia was trying to sew doubt in the US electoral process, intelligence officials now say Russia's&nbsp;apparent goal was to elect Trump.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>The Post's report came hours after President Barack Obama ordered a "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-obama-orders-review-of-cyber-attacks-on-2016-election-adviser-2016-12">full review</a>" of Russia's alleged involvement, due before Trump's inauguration on January 20.</p>
<p>Trump has repeatedly dismissed the possibility of Russia&rsquo;s involvement in the election.</p>
<p>In an <a href="http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2016-donald-trump/">interview with Time</a>&nbsp;published this week,&nbsp;Trump said the previous hacks could have been caused by Russia, or China, or "some guy in his home in New Jersey."</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cia-russia-helped-trump-win-us-election-2016-12" >The CIA says it has evidence that Russia tried to help Trump win the US election</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-statement-russia-us-election-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-defends-twitter-tweets-restrained-interview-nbc-today-show-matt-lauer-2016-12">Matt Lauer asks Trump if he's having a 'difficult time' being more restrained on Twitter</a></p> Maddie McGarvey/Getty Imageshttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-app-monetization-report-how-developers-can-navigate-the-engagement-crisis-and-tap-into-the-102-billion-app-opportunity-2016-11THE APP MONETIZATION REPORT: How developers can navigate the engagement crisis and tap into the $102 billion app opportunityhttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-app-monetization-report-how-developers-can-navigate-the-engagement-crisis-and-tap-into-the-102-billion-app-opportunity-2016-11
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 22:25:00 -0500Laurie Beaver
<p><img style="float:right;" style="float: right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/582ce490ba6eb6d3008b4c6a-1200/bii global app revenue.png" alt="bii global app revenue" data-mce-source="BI Intelligence" /></p><p>App developers long considered the "pay once and play" model &mdash; in which users pay up front an app and aren't prompted to make in-app purchases &mdash; the best way to generate revenue. But as more "free-to-download" apps entered the market, users increasingly opted for these experiences.&nbsp;These apps offer microtransactions for in-app goods and services, and in-app ads.</p>
<p>As the app ecosystem expands further, it will become increasingly challenging for developers to compete in a crowded market.&nbsp;Overall, global gross app revenue&nbsp;will double to reach $102 billion by 2020, <a href="https://www.appannie.com/insights/app-annie-news/app-annie-releases-inaugural-mobile-app-forecast/">according</a>&nbsp;to recent projections by App Annie.&nbsp;As a result, app monetization strategies need to shift at least as quickly as consumer trends and preferences in order for developers to capture a piece of this growing market.</p>
<p>A new report from BI Intelligence explores the top app monetization strategies under user- and advertising-paid approaches, and the growing combination of both. We will also look at emerging trends that could help developers navigate the fiercely competitive app ecosystem, and address the potential barriers that developers will have to overcome to reap the benefits of the multi-billion dollar market.</p>
<p><strong><em>Here are some of the key takeaways:</em><em>&nbsp;</em></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The app ecosystem is expanding quickly, and it's becoming increasingly challenging for app developers to compete in a crowded market.&nbsp;</li>
<li>To capture a piece of the growing market, app developers must adapt their strategies at least as quickly as consumer trends and preferences change.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Developers can choose a user-paid or an advertising-paid approach to monetizing their apps. Different monetization strategies work best with different apps.</li>
<li>There are a number of widespread challenges that developers must contend with both before and after they enter the app market.&nbsp;<em>&nbsp;</em></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><em>In full, the report:</em></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Provides key factors driving the expected growth of global app revenue</li>
<li>Evaluates the top app monetization strategies</li>
<li>Looks at emerging trends to help developers navigate the app ecosystem</li>
<li>Explains the challenges that developers face to compete in the app market</li>
<li>And much more</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><em>Interested in getting the full report? Here are two&nbsp;ways to access it:</em></strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Subscribe to an&nbsp;<strong><em>All-Access</em></strong>&nbsp;pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure&nbsp;you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. &raquo; <strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/bi-intelligence-mobile-research-bundle?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=report_teaser&amp;utm_term=report_teaser_subscription_text_link_the-app-monetization-report-how-developers-can-navigate-the-engagement-crisis-and-tap-into-the-102-billion-app-opportunity-2016-11&amp;utm_content=subscription_report_teaser_text_link&amp;utm_campaign=report_teaser_subscription_link&amp;vertical=mobile">Learn More&nbsp;Now</a></strong></li>
<li>Purchase &amp; download the full report from&nbsp;our research store. &raquo; <strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/research-store?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=report_teaser&amp;utm_term=report_teaser_store_text_link_the-app-monetization-report-how-developers-can-navigate-the-engagement-crisis-and-tap-into-the-102-billion-app-opportunity-2016-11&amp;utm_content=report_store_report_teaser_text_link&amp;utm_campaign=report_teaser_store_link&amp;vertical=mobile#!/The-App-Monetization-Report/p/75591652/">Purchase &amp; Download Now</a></strong></li>
</ol><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-app-monetization-report-how-developers-can-navigate-the-engagement-crisis-and-tap-into-the-102-billion-app-opportunity-2016-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> BI Intelligencehttp://www.businessinsider.com/cia-russia-helped-trump-win-us-election-2016-12The CIA says it has evidence that Russia tried to help Trump win the US electionhttp://www.businessinsider.com/cia-russia-helped-trump-win-us-election-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 21:58:59 -0500Chris Sanchez and Bryan Logan
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584b5eeaca7f0c43228b4a26-2206/ap16342069900106.jpg" alt="Donald Trump" data-mce-source="AP Photo/Gerry Broome" data-mce-caption="Donald Trump." /></p><p></p>
<p>The CIA believes that Russia intentionally meddled in the US election specifically to help Donald Trump win.</p>
<p>That allegation was revealed in a secret CIA presentation that was given to lawmakers, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-orders-review-of-russian-hacking-during-presidential-campaign/2016/12/09/31d6b300-be2a-11e6-94ac-3d324840106c_story.html?utm_term=.09599c99249d">The Washington Post</a> and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/09/us/obama-russia-election-hack.html?hp&amp;action=click&amp;pgtype=Homepage&amp;clickSource=story-heading&amp;module=first-column-region&amp;region=top-news&amp;WT.nav=top-news">The New York Times</a> reported on Friday night.</p>
<p>Intelligence officials believe they have identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who allegedly gave WikiLeaks thousands of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hillary-clinton-campaign-2016-7">hacked emails</a> and other documents, The Post wrote.</p>
<p>During the election, WikiLeaks regularly published hacked documents <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-hacked-emails-show-clinton-campaigns-fears-about-sanders-2016-10">that were damaging to Democratic Party organizations</a> and its presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton. The email dump reached a fever pitch in the final weeks of the election.</p>
<p>WikiLeaks founder and editor Julian Assange, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/assange-statement-on-wikileaks-clinton-and-us-election-2016-11">has denied</a> his organization played any role in Russia's alleged meddling.</p>
<p>The Trump transition team released a remarkable statement Friday casting doubt on the reported findings.</p>
<p>"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction," the statement said. "The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest Electoral College victories in history. It&rsquo;s now time to move on and 'Make America Great Again.'"</p>
<p><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/584b8580a1a45ef4008b4ecd-2400/undefined" alt="Donald Trump" data-mce-source="Rebecca Cook/Reuters" data-mce-caption="Donald Trump." /></p>
<p>In private meetings last week, the CIA told senators the evidence they gathered demonstrates it is "quite clear" Russia aimed to help ensure a Trump victory.</p>
<p>Initially, the inclination within the US intelligence community was that Russia simply sought to undermine the integrity of the election. That assertion was bolstered by concerns that the Kremlin might attempt to hack voting machines on Election Day.</p>
<p>But, as The Post's Adam Entous, Ellen Nakashima, and Greg Miller wrote, official findings have led US intelligence experts to believe Russia was aiming for a specific result &mdash; a President-elect Donald Trump.</p>
<p>"It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia&rsquo;s goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected," said an unnamed senior US official who was briefed on the matter and cited by The Post.</p>
<p>The New York Times cited a senior Obama administration official who said "We now have high confidence that they hacked the DNC and the RNC, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/09/us/obama-russia-election-hack.html?hp&amp;action=click&amp;pgtype=Homepage&amp;clickSource=story-heading&amp;module=first-column-region&amp;region=top-news&amp;WT.nav=top-news">and conspicuously released no documents" related to Republicans</a>.</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/584b84bbca7f0c5c008b4d88-2400/undefined" alt="Hillary Clinton" data-mce-source="Justin Sullivan/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Hillary Clinton" /></p>
<p>In addition to the release of hacked emails, a flood of disinformation and conspiracy theories was widely circulated on the internet <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/fake-presidential-election-news-viral-facebook-trump-clinton-2016-11">in the form of false stories that were peddled as news</a>. Much of that fake news &mdash; which almost exclusively targeted Hillary Clinton &mdash; gained tremendous popularity on social networks like Facebook for months leading up to November 8.</p>
<p>News of the CIA&rsquo;s findings came as President Barack Obama <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-obama-orders-review-of-cyber-attacks-on-2016-election-adviser-2016-12">ordered a complete review of the matter</a> Friday.</p>
<p>In October, the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence officially accused Russia of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-russia-hacking-democratic-party-dnc-leaks-2016-10">hacking the Democratic Party</a> citing multiple cyberattacks against the organization.</p>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/57f2d2b5d8872425008b5272-1200/bi-graphicsputin-and-trump4x3-1.png" alt="Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump" data-mce-source="Reuters/Alexander Zemlianichenko, AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Business Insider/Skye Gould" data-mce-caption="Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump." />US intelligence officials have previously been cautious about accusing Russia of helping Trump win the election as they have faced challenges gathering intelligence about President Vladimir Putin, The Post reported.</p>
<p>Democrats have criticized the Obama administration's extremely cautious approach to pointing fingers at Russia.</p>
<p>According to the report, when the Obama administration tried to form a bipartisan coalition that would publicly accuse Russia of undermining the election, their plan was met with opposition from skeptical Republicans.</p>
<p>The Post noted that California Rep. Devin Nunes, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee and is a member of the Trump transition team, said he would "be the first one to come out and point at Russia if there&rsquo;s clear evidence, but there is no clear evidence."</p>
<p>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell implied he would accuse Obama of partisan politics if Obama publicly challenged Russia.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/rudy-giuliani-trump-administration-secretary-of-state-2016-12" >Rudy Giuliani withdraws name from consideration in Trump administration, president-elect says</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cia-russia-helped-trump-win-us-election-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-accuses-china-massive-theft-intellectual-property-unfair-taxing-tawian-2016-12">'They haven't played by the rules': Trump accuses China of 'massive theft of intellectual property' and unfairly taxing US companies</a></p> AP Photo/Gerry Broomehttp://www.businessinsider.com/lyme-disease-vaccine-valneva-clinical-trial-2016-12A new Lyme disease vaccine will soon be tested on Americans and Europeanshttp://www.businessinsider.com/lyme-disease-vaccine-valneva-clinical-trial-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 21:16:19 -0500Dave Mosher
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/55d74001dd0895fa448b45b7-2010/deer-tick-size-scale-finger-adult-nymph-lyme-disease-getty-images.jpg" alt="deer tick size scale finger adult nymph lyme disease getty images" data-mce-source="Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Nymph blacklegged ticks (right) are tiny compared to adults (left) but are the most common vectors for Lyme disease." /></p><p>A French biotech company just took a crucial step toward preventing vexing new cases of Lyme disease, an epidemic that's spreading across the United States and Europe.</p>
<p>Valneva, which has been developing a preventative vaccine for the disease, <a href="http://www.valneva.com/download.php?dir=News_2016&amp;file=2016_12_09_Valneva_Lyme_Clinical_Trial_Approvals_EN.pdf">announced on Friday</a> that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave it permission to start clinical trials of the treatment on people.</p>
<p>The European Union's Clinical Trial Application also gave Valneva a similar go-ahead.</p>
<p>"We are committed to finding ways to accelerate the clinical development path to licensure, given that we are conducting the only active vaccine program in the industry," company leaders <a href="http://www.einnews.com/pr_news/357341934/valneva-valneva-receives-fda-and-european-approvals-to-start-clinical-testing-of-lyme-disease-vaccine-candidate">said in a statement</a>.</p>
<p>A $50-a-dose vaccine for adults called LYMErix was released in 1998, and it was <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870557/" target="_blank">nearly 80% effective</a>. But its maker &mdash; SmithKline Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline) &mdash; stopped selling it n 2002, primarily due to a lawsuit backed by anti-vaccine supporters.</p>
<p>GlaxoSmithKline eventually <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017%2FS0950268806007096" target="_blank">settled out of court</a>. Though the people who fought the company cited adverse reactions, including Lyme disease-like symptoms, an official and extensive follow-up study found <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11858868">nothing abnormal about the vaccine</a>.</p>
<p>Today, Lyme disease vaccines currently exist for dogs, but none have been approved for humans in nearly 15 years &mdash; and in that time the disease has grown into an epidemic.</p>
<p>Roughly 300,000 new Lyme disease cases happen annually in the US, according to the CDC's latest data, from 2013. (One study estimates as many as <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciu397" target="_blank">440,000 new infections</a> occurred in 2008.) About 85,000 Europeans a year are also infected.</p>
<p>Treating the disease likely racks up <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lyme-disease-ticks-may-cost-billions-with-no-vaccine-2015-7">more than $1 billion per year</a> in US healthcare costs alone, according to one <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0116767">recent study</a>.</p>
<p>"Primary prevention is something where we're clearly losing the battle on," Dr. Paul Mead, chief of epidemiology and surveillance for the CDC's Lyme disease program, told Business Insider in 2015. "A safe and effective vaccine could help us turn the tide."</p>
<h2>The threat of Lyme disease</h2>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/558a228d2acae7f4028b4a74-2400" alt="lyme disease bacteria borrelia burgerdorferi sem scanning electron micrograph" data-mce-source="Claudia Molins/CDC" data-mce-caption="Borrelia burgerdorferi bacteria as seen with a scanning electron microscope." data-link="http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/" /></p>
<p>Lyme disease is caused by tiny bacteria called Borrelia, which is spread by ticks as small as a poppyseed.</p>
<p>Those infected with Borrelia can develop severe, rheumatoid arthritis-like joint and muscle pain. Fatigue and neurological disorders &mdash; such as numbness, tingling, weakness, and cognitive impairment &mdash; can set in too.</p>
<p>The best, first-line treatment is two to four weeks' worth of <a href="http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/lymedisease/research/pages/antibiotic.aspx">antibiotics</a>, usually doxycycline or amoxicillin, within a few days of infection &mdash; before the bacteria can get too cozy in joints, nerves, and other tissues. Manufacturers of these drugs charge anywhere from $20 to <a href="http://www.wired.com/2013/06/summer-is-lyme-disease-season-but-the-price-of-the-cheap-drug-to-treat-it-just-soared/">thousands of dollars</a> per treatment, according to Wired.com.</p>
<p>"The longer you go without treatment, the more serious your symptoms can be," Emily Adrion, a public-health researcher at Johns Hopkins University, told Business Insider in 2015.</p>
<p>Even then, she previously said, there's "a lot of overlap" with other conditions &mdash; so doctors don't always think to order a test for Lyme disease. That's why Lyme disease is sometimes called the "<a href="http://journals.lww.com/pidj/Citation/1988/06000/Lyme_disease__the_latest_great_imitator.7.aspx" target="_blank">great imitator</a>" or "great masquerader."</p>
<p>Left untreated, infections can lead to brain inflammation or heart problems. At least a handful of such cases have <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6249a1.htm" target="_blank">proven fatal</a>.</p>
<p>Infections don't just go away on their own. And even though "the vast majority of cases are treatable and short-lived," Dr. Mead previously said, symptoms don't always vanish with antibiotics.</p>
<p>Some patients insist on long-term antibiotic injections, which are expensive, frequently <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/civ187" target="_blank">harmful</a>, sometimes <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/318138" target="_blank">deadly</a>, and only <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17928580" target="_blank">rarely</a> help someone feel better. Others turn away from licensed doctors altogether and pursue <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/civ186" target="_blank">dubious alternative treatments</a>.</p>
<p>Vaccination could help avoid these and other issues, if a new one that works comes to market.</p>
<h2>A promising but perilous road toward prevention</h2>
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/557b6584f7b1050f008b54c8-2047-1536/51024129.jpg" alt="measles vaccine" border="0" data-mce-source="Abid Katib/Getty Images" /></p>
<p>Just because a Lyme vaccine like Valneva's is approved for a clinical trial doesn't guarantee it will be safe and effective in people.</p>
<p>The FDA granted a <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/help/glossary/phase">phase 1 clinical trial</a> of the vaccine, which means it's being evaluated for safety &mdash; not how effective it is, or if it even works at all. Still, it's an important test that relatively few proposed treatments undergo.</p>
<p>If the phase 1 trials show the vaccine is safe to use in people, it will have to <a href="http://www.fda.gov/drugs/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm143534.htm">clear two other hurdles</a> before Valneva could sell and market it: a phase 2 trial, which would test how well it works in preventing cases of Lyme disease, and a phase 3 trial, which more broadly tests effectiveness by using different dosages on larger and more diverse populations.</p>
<p>Getting a treatment all the way through phase 3 trials can cost more than a billion dollars; in fact, about 86% don't pass the final two stages.</p>
<p>Valneva's new vaccine candidate, unceremoniously named VLA15-101, may have an easier time, though: It's based on the same core concept as the now-defunct yet already FDA-approved LYMErix vaccine.</p>
<p>That vaccine worked by injecting people with an outer surface protein of Borrelia, called OspA. This taught the body's immune system to recognize the bacteria &mdash; and launch an attack if they showed up after a bite from an infected tick.</p>
<p>But the protein in US Borrelia isn't the same as it is in European species of the bacteria, or even from one region to another. There are six different types. That's something LYMErix didn't address, so Valneva-funded researchers based their vaccine on all different kinds of OspA to cover US and European strains of Borrelia.</p>
<p>Their <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0113294">2014 study</a> in the journal PLoS ONE showed that most mice given the vaccine were protected from Lyme disease by wild ticks infected with many different kinds of Borrelia.</p>
<p>The new phase 1 trial will test the treatment's safety on 180 adults at a US site and one in Belgium.</p>
<p>Despite relying on a previously successful strategy, however, VLA15-101 faces tough odds: 94% of all drugs that pass animal trials fail to pass in human clinical trials.</p>
<p>Also, seemingly effective Lyme disease vaccines have a habit of dying on the vine due to market forces. A promising one by the Vienna-based company Baxter, for example, is no longer being developed, according to <a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp1607146">a recent New England Journal of Medicine editorial</a> written by Dr. Stanley A. Plotkin, an emeritus pediatrics professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Lyme disease vaccine advocate.</p>
<p>"To promote the licensure of a new vaccine against Lyme disease, perhaps the greatest need is a concerted demand by the public health community, which would convince manufacturers that there is a market for such a vaccine," Dr. Plotkin wrote.</p>
<p>Until there is a preventative vaccine for Lyme disease &mdash; if there ever is one &mdash; <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/features/lymedisease/">vigilant prevention</a> and quick treatment with antibiotics will have to do until what some researchers call a <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciq119">public-health fiasco</a> can be turned around.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lyme-disease-risk-in-the-us-is-expanding-in-all-directions-2015-7" >The risk of Lyme disease in the US 'is expanding in all directions'</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>DON'T MISS:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lyme-disease-ticks-may-cost-billions-with-no-vaccine-2015-7" >A 'hidden epidemic' in the US has ballooned into a public-health fiasco</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lyme-disease-vaccine-valneva-clinical-trial-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/symptoms-lyme-disease-deer-ticks-2016-4">Here's what happens to your body when you get Lyme disease</a></p> Getty Imageshttp://www.businessinsider.com/faraday-future-car-race-video-tesla-ferrari-bentley-2016-12Faraday Future's mystery vehicle races a Ferrari, Tesla, and a Bentley in new videohttp://www.businessinsider.com/faraday-future-car-race-video-tesla-ferrari-bentley-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 20:04:56 -0500Bryan Logan
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/584b51aaca7f0ce9478b46df-1902" alt="faraday future race" data-mce-source="Screenshot via YouTube" data-mce-caption="A Bentley Bentayga SUV and a Faraday Future vehicle line up for a race." data-link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aB-ugSokJ8"></p><p>Faraday Future, the electric-car upstart that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/faraday-future-ces-electric-car-teaser-images-photos-2016-12">plans to reveal a production concept version of its car</a> in Las Vegas in January, released a video on Friday showing its car racing a number of potential competitors.</p>
<p>The as-yet-unseen vehicle is heavily disguised in the short clip, lining up with a Bentley Bentayga, Ferrari 488 GTB, and a Tesla Model X before taking off into the distance.</p>
<p>The video is a preview, so it is unknown how the Faraday Future vehicle performed.</p>
<p>As is typical of battery powered cars, all available torque is on tap from the moment you hit the accelerator, so it is feasible to presume Faraday Future's electric car could perform similarly to a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/we-took-the-tesla-model-x-suv-for-a-spin-in-manhattan-and-were-blown-away-2016-2">Tesla Model X</a> or <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-model-s-drive-2016-7">a Model S</a>.</p>
<h2>Watch the video here:</h2>
<p><div>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3aB-ugSokJ8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></p>
<p>There are many questions still lingering around Faraday Future, even as it prepares for a second debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/faraday-future-owes-money-for-nevada-factory-construction-2016-10">The company recently stopped construction work</a> at its $1 billion factory in North Las Vegas due to mounting financial troubles.</p>
<p>A company spokesperson told Business Insider last month that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/faraday-future-production-vehicle-release-date-2016-11">the company would focus on vehicle development</a> and resume factory construction work sometime in 2017, but doubts remain. Faraday Future's billionaire tech investor, Jia Yueting, has run into financial trouble of late, and <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-09/outspoken-billionaire-works-to-salvage-his-tech-empire-in-china">according to a report this week from Bloomberg</a>, the cash crunch is spreading throughout his empire.</p>
<p>Still, Faraday Future has remained confident in its prospects. Whether or not that position proves correct remains to be seen.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jaguar-f-pace-review-2016-12" >Jaguar's F-PACE is the most beautiful luxury SUV money can buy</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>DON'T MISS:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/driverless-car-regulations-michigan-2016-12" >The state of Michigan just made self-driving-car history</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/faraday-future-car-race-video-tesla-ferrari-bentley-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-how-self-driving-car-sees-road-2016-11">Tesla reveals how your self-driving car sees the road</a></p> Screenshot via YouTubehttp://www.businessinsider.com/hot-teen-app-houseparty-raises-50-million-from-sequoia-2016-12A startup founder's 'comeback' app is catching fire with teens — and it just got a $50 million checkhttp://www.businessinsider.com/hot-teen-app-houseparty-raises-50-million-from-sequoia-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 20:03:43 -0500Biz Carson
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/584b4e1fa1a45e21048b4e3e-345/screen shot 2016-12-09 at 42802 pm.png" alt="Houseparty" data-mce-source="https://joinhouse.party/" data-mce-caption="Houseparty" /></p><p>On Friday, an app you probably haven't heard of unless you're a teenager <a href="http://www.apple.com/itunes/charts/free-apps/">topped Facebook</a> in the Apple App Store.</p>
<p>Houseparty, <a href="https://joinhouse.party/">a group video chat app</a>, ranked number 7 in Apple App Store for free apps &mdash; one slot above Facebook, the world's most dominant social network. &nbsp;</p>
<p>And it's not only the young kids who have noticed its Houseparty's potential.&nbsp;Silicon Valley investors have been reportedly fighting over who gets to fund the newest craze in social.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On Friday, Business Insider confirmed that that the company had raised $50 million from leading venture firm Sequoia, beating out other investors interested in the deal, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Wall Street Journal <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/video-chat-app-houseparty-racks-up-vc-interest-1481310391">earlier reported the raise</a>. The company's previous&nbsp;<span>investors, including Greylock Partners, Aleph, and Comcast Ventures&nbsp;participated in the round. Houseparty's CEO Ben Rubin didn't return a request for comment.</span></p>
<p>The app has been on fire with teens recently, leading to a surge of millions of downloads in the&nbsp;last six months, according to analytics from <a href="https://www.apptopia.com/reports/charts?store=itunes_connect">Apptopia</a>. The a<a href="https://www.apptopia.com/apps/itunes_connect/1065781769/usage">pp analytics company estimates</a> that nearly 2 million people used it in the last month alone, and that on average, people are opening it 5.5 times a day.</p>
<p>In schools in San Francisco, it's become the new go-to video app to chat with friends. Like Facetime or Skype, it allows video calls with friends as a group.</p>
<p>Yet, few realize the app's turbulent history. Houseparty was made by the creator's of another hit video app Meerkat. The live-streaming app exploded in popularity at SXSW, then faded after Twitter blocked its access and purchased its rival, Periscope. The company regrouped and launched Houseparty earlier this year, which has grown in popularity since the beginning of the school year.</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584b4fdfca7f0c78048b4c96-759/screen shot 2016-12-09 at 42448 pm.png" alt="Houseparty downloads" data-mce-source="Houseparty" /></p>
<p>The key for Houseparty is to not loose that momentum like Meerkat did. A fresh $50 million from a leading Valley venture firm will hopefully stave off the same fate for the company.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-rider-rating-behavior-rules-2016-12" >Here's what can get you banned as a rider from Uber</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hot-teen-app-houseparty-raises-50-million-from-sequoia-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-self-driving-car-technology-explained-2016-11">Here’s all the futuristic technology Uber’s self-driving cars use to get around</a></p> https://joinhouse.party/http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-delete-reset-movies-tv-shows-from-netflix-history-2016-12How to reset your Netflix historyhttp://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-delete-reset-movies-tv-shows-from-netflix-history-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 19:06:00 -0500Darren Weaver
<p>Sure, you could have waited for your significant other to get home from work to watch the next episode of "Jessica Jones," but you just couldn't help yourself. Here's how to clear your Netflix history and save yourself from a night alone on the couch.</p>
<p><span><strong>Follow Tech Insider:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/techinsider">On Facebook</a></span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-delete-reset-movies-tv-shows-from-netflix-history-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/peter-thiel-gave-mitt-romney-advice-2016-12Peter Thiel gave Mitt Romney some prescient advice in 2012 — and was ignoredhttp://www.businessinsider.com/peter-thiel-gave-mitt-romney-advice-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 19:05:00 -0500Gus Lubin
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/583ef4dfe02ba738018b6cb9-2400" alt="Mitt Romney" data-mce-source="Drew Angerer/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Mitt Romney." /></p><p>Back in 2012, before Peter Thiel supported&nbsp;<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2016/11/22/exclusive-interview-how-jared-kushner-won-trump-the-white-house/#15f5e9b42f50">Donald Trump's quest to become president</a>, the billionaire tech investor gave sharp advice to presidential candidate Mitt Romney &mdash; and was apparently ignored.</p>
<p>"I think the most pessimistic candidate is going to win, because if you are too optimistic it suggests you are out of touch," Thiel told Romney, as&nbsp;reported in George Packer&rsquo;s "<span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ANI9GIQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&amp;btkr=1">The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America</a>."</span></p>
<p>Thiel's point was that most of America&nbsp;<span>didn't share the rosy view found in&nbsp;Silicon Valley and Wall Street. Instead of simply&nbsp;telling people that President Barack Obama was incompetent, he said, a challenger should&nbsp;say the country&nbsp;was broken and needed major change.</span></p>
<p><span>But Romney didn't get it.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span><span>Wrote&nbsp;Packer: "He assumed that the more optimistic candidate would always win. He assumed that things were still fundamentally working."</span></span></p>
<p>And the rest is history. Romney lost, and Trump came out with a shockingly pessimistic campaign &mdash; daring to say that America wasn&rsquo;t great anymore &mdash; and won.</p>
<p>If you're wondering why Thiel keeps supporting Republicans, check out our report on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/peter-thiel-is-trying-to-save-the-world-2016-12">Thiel's philosophy</a>.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/peter-thiel-gave-mitt-romney-advice-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/peter-thiel-says-proud-gay-republican-2016-7">Watch Peter Thiel tell the RNC audience that he's proud to be gay and Republican</a></p> Drew Angerer/Getty Imageshttp://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-drive-thru-execs-are-warming-up-to-the-idea-2016-12Chipotle executives are suddenly warming up to the idea of drive-thrus (CMG)http://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-drive-thru-execs-are-warming-up-to-the-idea-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 19:04:00 -0500Hayley Peterson
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/58486a01e02ba7d73c8b71d3-2400/ap16264717719749.jpg" alt="Chipotle" data-mce-source="AP" /></p><p>Chipotle executives are warming up to the idea of drive-thru service after more than two decades of rejecting the fast-food staple.</p>
<p>The company appears to be having a change of heart after launching its first drive-thru service at Tasty Made, Chipotle's newly opened burger restaurant in Lancaster, Ohio, according to Nomura Instinet analyst Mark Kalinowksi.</p>
<p>The drive-thru now accounts for more than half of the restaurant's business, and that's not going unnoticed by Chipotle's management team, Kalinowksi said.</p>
<p>"Historically, and unsurprisingly in this context, Chipotle has generally been anti-drive-thru," Kalinowski wrote in a note to clients.</p>
<p>But at a recent meeting with Chipotle management at the new Tasty Made restaurant, Kalinowski was told that "Chipotle management who have visited the Tasty Made restaurant may have had their eyes opened somewhat about the convenience a drive-thru can offer some types of customers (for example, a parent with multiple young children)."</p>
<p>Customers of the Tasty Made have also been inquiring about whether Chipotle will add drive-thru service.</p>
<p>"Apparently quite a few Tasty Made customers who are aware of the burger unit's connection to Chipotle have been asking, 'So, is Chipotle going to get drive-thru?'" Kalinowski wrote.</p>
<p>Chipotle did not respond to a request for comment.</p>
<p>"Perhaps Tasty Made's creation is the first step in a process that could lead to brand Chipotle testing this store format," Kalinowski wrote. "Chipotle may find out (as Starbucks did) that drive-thru units work for it (excellent returns, higher customer satisfaction, etc.)"</p>
<p>Drive-thru service is a huge source of business for fast-food chains. At McDonald's, <a href="http://www.qsrmagazine.com/exclusives/makeover">drive-thru reportedly accounts for as much as 70% of business</a>.</p>
<p><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/574484ca91058428008c4b13-1024" alt="Drive Through" data-mce-source="Tim Boyle/Getty Images" />Chipotle co-CEO Steve Ells has floated the idea of adding drive-thru windows in the past, but he previously said it could detract from the customer experience.</p>
<p>"In sort of expanding the Chipotle concept as we go to new markets, the question always comes up, should we try one with a drive-thru?" Ells said during an October 2012 call with analysts. "And part of what customers love is the ability to customize ... And a drive-thru distances them from that. So it doesn't seem like for the majority of our customers it's something that would be relevant."</p>
<p>"That being said, it's certainly something that we could try in the future," he added.</p>
<p>Adding drive-thru service would most likely be possible only at standalone Chipotle restaurants, and even then, pretty significant changes to the restaurant infrastructure would have to be made.</p>
<p>But with the company's sales <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-ceo-says-restaurant-service-is-poor-2016-12">still in a slump</a> after last year's E. coli outbreak, Chipotle is testing all kinds of new ways to attract customers, such as offering free-food coupons and adding new things like dessert to the menu.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-ceo-says-restaurant-service-is-poor-2016-12" >Chipotle's CEO made a stunning admission about a grave problem plaguing the brand</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-drive-thru-execs-are-warming-up-to-the-idea-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trans-pacific-partnership-tpp-domestic-made-goods-imported-iphone-sneakers-tv-solar-panels-2016-11">Here's how much an iPhone 7, a TV, and sneakers would cost if they were made in the US</a></p> APhttp://www.businessinsider.com/heartbeat-bill-fetal-development-pregnancy-chart-2016-12Here's how early in pregnancy that Ohio's 'heartbeat bill' would ban abortionshttp://www.businessinsider.com/heartbeat-bill-fetal-development-pregnancy-chart-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:32:00 -0500Skye Gould and Dave Mosher
<p>On Tuesday, Ohio's legislature passed a bill that, if signed into law by Governor John Kasich, would dramatically limit women's reproductive rights in the state.</p>
<p>The so-called "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ohio-heartbeat-bill-banning-abortion-john-kasich-2016-12" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=http://www.businessinsider.com/ohio-heartbeat-bill-banning-abortion-john-kasich-2016-12&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1481395845933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH0RJ7C22Z8cuDdssGN5UdZLJojIg">heartbeat bill</a>" would ban doctors from performing legal abortions on women with "<a href="https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA131-HB-69" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id%3DGA131-HB-69&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1481395845933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEw_DhMPP9wwp9ky6MoAD0FGAiD_A">a detectable fetal heartbeat</a>", even in cases where pregnancy results from rape or incest.</p>
<p>Another anti-abortion bill sent to Kasich for signing into law &mdash; or vetoing &mdash; would ban the practice <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ohio-abortion-laws-heartbeat-bill-20-week-ban-john-kasich-2016-12">after 20 weeks of pregnancy</a>.</p>
<p>Below are the key biological stages of pregnancy as they relate to a developing baby, including when its heartbeat is first detectable.</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584b3902ca7f0c24018b4c81-1200/bi-graphicstimeline of pregnancy.png" alt="BI Graphics_Timeline of Pregnancy" data-mce-source="Skye Gould/Business Insider" /></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/pregnancy-science-facts-2016-9/" >Babies cry in the womb and 18 other surprising facts I learned when I became a dad</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>DON'T MISS:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/months-pregnancy-average-2016-9" >Here's why '9 months of pregnancy' is a vexing myth</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heartbeat-bill-fetal-development-pregnancy-chart-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-claims-ninth-month-abortions-false-doctors-2016-10">'You can take that baby at 9 months': Trump keeps repeating a grossly inaccurate claim about late-term abortions</a></p> Skye Gould/Business Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com/cowboys-linebacker-kyle-wilber-dak-prescott-locker-neighbor-2016-12Cowboys linebacker explains what it is like being Dak Prescott's locker neighbor and it sounds miserablehttp://www.businessinsider.com/cowboys-linebacker-kyle-wilber-dak-prescott-locker-neighbor-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:12:28 -0500Cork Gaines
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/584b3a2fca7f0ccb018b4c9d-900" alt="2" data-mce-source="Twitter/Cover4"></p><p></p>
<p>The biggest story in the NFL this season has been the strong play of the Dallas Cowboys behind the surprising emergence of Dak Prescott as a top-tier NFL quarterback. However, that newfound fame does come with some consequences, just ask Kyle Wilber and his clothes.</p>
<p>Wilber is a linebacker in his fifth season. He is also Prescott's locker neighbor.</p>
<p>While it might seem cool to be in the locker room next to one of the most famous players in the NFL, it is not so much fun every Wednesday. That's when the media is allowed into the locker room to interview the players.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dallascowboys.com/video/2016/12/07/cover-4-oh-how-far-weve-come" target="_blank">David Hellman of Cover 4 caught up with Wilber</a> during the media scrum. Unfortunately for Wilber, he had to do the interview in a towel because he couldn't get to his locker ("I JUST WANT SOME DRY CLOTHES, THAT ARE BEING STEPPED ON, RIGHT NOW!"). Here is the funny interview:</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It's not easy being <a href="https://twitter.com/dak">@Dak</a> Prescott's locker neighbor. <br>Just ask Kyle Wilber. <br><br>📺: <a href="https://t.co/CJK2quP70I">https://t.co/CJK2quP70I</a><a href="https://t.co/w8JZu6wG2T">https://t.co/w8JZu6wG2T</a></p>— Cover 4 (@Cover4) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cover4/status/806991592586260480">December 8, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p> </p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cowboys-linebacker-kyle-wilber-dak-prescott-locker-neighbor-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-wonderlic-test-rookie-questions-iq-2016-11">Take the IQ test that every rookie has to take</a></p> Twitter/Cover4http://www.businessinsider.com/list-credit-card-processing-companies-2016-11These are the leading credit card processing companies (JPM, BAC, C, WFC, VNTV, TSS, BCS, FDC, WPG)http://www.businessinsider.com/list-credit-card-processing-companies-2016-11
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 18:04:00 -0500Andrew Meola
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5798e75b918a0f171d6f703d-960/bii-payments ecosystem 2016-1.png" alt="bii payments ecosystemUSETHIS" data-mce-source="BI Intelligence" /></p><p>Credit card processors&nbsp;are mostly responsible for data transmission and security when you use your card at a store or online to make a purchase.</p>
<p>There are two types of processors in the payment-card system.&nbsp;Front-end processors&nbsp;route transactions from merchants to the cardholder's bank to gain authorization; that is, they make sure a customer has enough available credit or funds to make a purchase.&nbsp;Back-end processors&nbsp;are responsible for a fund's settlement, which ends with the merchant receiving a deposit for transactions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Below, we've outlined the major players in credit card processing and described their major strengths.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Bank of America <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/merchant-services-industry-key-players-market-trends-2016-11">Merchant Services</a>:&nbsp;</strong>Bank of America <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/merchant-services-industry-key-players-market-trends-2016-11">Merchant Services</a> has the advantage of functioning within the second-largest bank in the U.S. The service promises acceptance of all kinds of payments (credit cards, debit cards, electronic checks, and gift cards), access to funds on the next business day, and mobile support.</li>
<li><strong>Citibank: &nbsp;</strong>The consumer division of Citigroup processes transactions in more than 100 currencies. It offers end-to-end processing services, from pricing to transactions, reporting, customer service, and billing.</li>
<li><strong>Wells Fargo:</strong> One of the "Big Four" U.S. banks, Wells Fargo offers next-business day funding, encryption and tokenization technology, and support for both PIN and signature transactions.</li>
<li><strong>Chase Paymentech:&nbsp;</strong>The payment processing arm of JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the U.S., authorizes and processes payments in more than 130 currencies. And like its peers, it offers analytics, fraud detection, and security solutions.</li>
<li><strong>Barclays:&nbsp;</strong>Barclaycard payment solutions facilitates in-person, phone, web, and even mail order payments through desktop and portable card machines.</li>
<li><strong>Vantiv:&nbsp;</strong><span>Vantiv has been&nbsp;successful thanks to its nearly error-free purchases, authorizations, and captures. In May 2015, it successfully completed 95% of these transactions, ahead of competitors&nbsp;such as Worldpay, PayPal, and Braintree. The company also has a significant&nbsp;speed advantage, as it often processes payments data in less than a second.</span></li>
<li><strong>First Data:&nbsp;</strong>First Data facilitates small business payments with its Clover suite of products, including a mini reader that works without Wi-Fi and a mobile reader that attaches to other devices in order to process payments on the go.</li>
<li><strong>Cielo:&nbsp;</strong>Cielo is the largest Brazilian credit and debit card operator and the largest payment systems company in Latin America. The company debuted on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange in 2010.</li>
<li><strong>TSYS:&nbsp;</strong>Short for Total System Services, TSYS supports millions of buyers and sellers around the world through four major branches: issuing services, acquiring services, prepaid solutions, and merchant solutions.</li>
<li><strong>Global Payments:&nbsp;</strong>Global Payments focuses on ensuring businesses accept all major forms of payments. To that end, its services include credit/debit/purchasing cards, electronic check conversion, money transfer, verification and recovery services, gift/loyalty cards, check guarantee, ACH checks, financial EDI services, and point-of-sale equipment.</li>
<li><strong>Worldpay:</strong>&nbsp;The&nbsp;UK-based company is one of the longest-tenured online payment platforms. The company provides&nbsp;several payment services for both online and in-store channels. As of August 2016, the company had 400,000 merchant clients. In 2015, it processed&nbsp;13 billion transactions&nbsp;valued at more than $526 billion. Worldpay has grown its&nbsp;volume primarily&nbsp;because of early-mover advantages that have allowed it to build scale. It also provides&nbsp;many different services across channels, which diversifies its revenue streams.<strong><span>&nbsp;</span></strong></li>
<li><strong>Moneris:&nbsp;</strong>Moneris is the largest credit and debit card processor and acquirer in Canada. It processes more than three billion transactions each year for more than 350,000 merchants, and the company employs more than 1,900 people in North America.</li>
<li><strong>Fiserv:&nbsp;</strong>American Banker and BAI ranked&nbsp;Fiserv third by revenue among technology providers to U.S. banks in October 2015. Fiserv provides services in account processing, electronic payments processing, check processing, web and mobile banking, and more.</li>
<li><strong>Adyen:&nbsp;</strong>Adyen provides&nbsp;e-commerce companies with a payment platform that includes&nbsp;gateway, risk management, and front-end processing services. Adyen is a full-stack gateway and has&nbsp;famous merchants like Facebook and Spotify as clients.&nbsp;The company has brought in&nbsp;merchants thanks to its&nbsp;single platform that can support payments in any channel across 100 different payment methods and 200 countries. The firm&nbsp;processed&nbsp;$50 billion&nbsp;in 2015, up 100% from $25 billion in 2014. It earned&nbsp;$350 million&nbsp;in revenue in 2015, and expects to break $500 million in 2016.&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong>Heartland Payment Systems:&nbsp;</strong>Heartland helps businesses move beyond accept ng major credit cards. The company facilitates payment processing in-store, online, and offsite through multiple methods, such as EMV, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Android Pay, and gift cards. It also offers next-day funding, real-time reporting, and 24/7 customer service in the U.S.</li>
<li><strong>Elavon:&nbsp;</strong>Formerly known as NOVA, this company is a subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp. Elavon processes payments in more than 30 countries for more than one million merchants.</li>
</ul>
<h2>More to Learn</h2>
<p>These card processors&nbsp;handle so much volume and so many dollars every&nbsp;day, but they are still&nbsp;just&nbsp;one&nbsp;piece of the larger payments ecosystem, which&nbsp;includes issuers, merchants, and more.</p>
<p><span>That's why BI Intelligence spent months putting together&nbsp;the greatest&nbsp;and most exhaustive&nbsp;guide on the world of payments entitled&nbsp;<span><span><em><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/research-store?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=content_marketing&amp;utm_term=content_marketing_store_text_link_list-credit-card-processing-companies-2016-11&amp;utm_content=report_store_content_marketing_text_link&amp;utm_campaign=content_marketing_store_link&amp;vertical=payments#!/The-Payments-Ecosystem/p/46301492">The Payments Ecosystem Report</a></strong></em></span></span><strong><em>: Everything You Need to Know About The Next Era of Payment Processing.</em></strong></span></p>
<p>To get your copy of this invaluable guide to the payments industry, choose one of these options:</p>
<ol>
<li><span>Subscribe to an ALL-ACCESS Membership with BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report AND over 100 other expertly researched deep-dive reports, subscriptions to all of our daily newsletters, and much more. &gt;&gt; <strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/bi-intelligence-payments-research-bundle?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=content_marketing&amp;utm_term=content_marketing_subscription_text_link_list-credit-card-processing-companies-2016-11&amp;utm_content=subscription_content_marketing_text_link&amp;utm_campaign=content_marketing_subscription_link&amp;vertical=payments">START A MEMBERSHIP</a></strong></span></li>
<li><span>Purchase the report and download it immediately from our research store. &gt;&gt; </span><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/research-store?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=content_marketing&amp;utm_term=content_marketing_store_text_link_list-credit-card-processing-companies-2016-11&amp;utm_content=report_store_content_marketing_text_link&amp;utm_campaign=content_marketing_store_link&amp;vertical=payments#!/The-Payments-Ecosystem/p/46301492">BUY THE REPORT</a></strong></li>
</ol>
<p>The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you&rsquo;ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of the fast-moving world of the payments ecosystem<span>.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/list-credit-card-processing-companies-2016-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> BI Intelligencehttp://www.businessinsider.com/service-dog-can-do-household-chores-2016-12This service dog can do household choreshttp://www.businessinsider.com/service-dog-can-do-household-chores-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:57:26 -0500Ally Giannini and Ian Phillips
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/service-dog-can-do-household-chores-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/chernobyl-tomb-2016-12This giant building is basically a tomb for Chernobylhttp://www.businessinsider.com/chernobyl-tomb-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:56:16 -0500Ben Nigh
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chernobyl-tomb-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/cheesy-toast-2016-12People line up in the middle of the night to eat this cheesy toasthttp://www.businessinsider.com/cheesy-toast-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:55:21 -0500Chelsea Pineda and Herrine Ro
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cheesy-toast-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-power-rankings-right-now-2016-12NBA POWER RANKINGS: Where all 30 teams stand right nowhttp://www.businessinsider.com/nba-power-rankings-right-now-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:47:41 -0500Scott Davis
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584b31d6a1a45e60398b47a8-1285/undefined" alt="james harden" data-mce-source="Craig Mitchelldyer/AP" /></p><p>A little over one month into the NBA, there have been a few surprises.</p>
<p>Teams like the Lakers and Knicks are fun and competitive, the Bucks are back in playoff contention, and the Mavericks own the league's worst record.</p>
<p>But, if we're being honest, this looks like a two-team race. The Warriors and Cavaliers look far superior to every team in their respective conferences that it's hard to imagine a different outcome other than Cavs-Warriors Round III this June.</p>
<p>Still, we're not even one-third of the way through the year, which means a lot can change. Take a look at where all 30 teams stand right now.</p><h3>30. Dallas Mavericks</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584b0559a1a45ed2008b4b84-400-300/30-dallas-mavericks.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><strong>Record:</strong> 4-17</p>
<p><strong>Offensive rating:</strong> 97.2 (29th)</p>
<p><strong>Defensive rating:</strong> 104.9 (18th)</p>
<p><strong>One thing to know:</strong> The Mavericks might be okay if they can ever get healthy. Their intended starting lineup of Deron Williams, Wes Matthews, Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki, and Andrew Bogut has played just 24 minutes together this season.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>29. Philadelphia 76ers</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584b0699ca7f0c43228b4773-400-300/29-philadelphia-76ers.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><strong>Record:</strong> 5-18</p>
<p><strong>Offensive rating:</strong> 96.4 (30th)</p>
<p><strong>Defensive rating:</strong> 105.8 (23rd)</p>
<p><strong>One thing to know:</strong> The 76ers have a .2 net rating when Joel Embiid is on the court &mdash; meaning they're competitive! "The Process," averaging 27 points, 11 rebounds per 36 minutes, has been worth the wait.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>28. Phoenix Suns</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584b07f5ca7f0cf3008b4a7f-400-300/28-phoenix-suns.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><strong>Record:</strong> 6-16</p>
<p><strong>Offensive rating:</strong> 100.7 (23rd)</p>
<p><strong>Defensive rating:</strong> 106.6 (25th)</p>
<p><strong>One thing to know:</strong> Suns coach Earl Watson has to manage the difficult juggling act of playing the team's young, developing players while also getting the team's veterans their burn. Thus far, it's created for an awkward team dynamic.</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nba-power-rankings-right-now-2016-12#/#27-brooklyn-nets-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> Craig Mitchelldyer/APhttp://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-john-glenn-letter-smithsonian-american-ingenuity-awards-2016-12John Glenn wrote Jeff Bezos a beautiful letter that he read for the first time the day the astronaut diedhttp://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-john-glenn-letter-smithsonian-american-ingenuity-awards-2016-12
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:32:53 -0500Rebecca Harrington
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/584b22d6a1a45ef4008b4d14-2208/1962februaryjohnglenn.jpg" alt="john glenn 1962_february_" data-mce-source="NASA" data-mce-caption="John Glenn was the first US man to orbit the Earth as part of Project Mercury. Project Mercury sent six spacecraft into orbit from 1961 to 1963 each performing onboard experiments, staying out in orbit just a bit longer, and testing the entire Mercury Space Flight Network (MSFN)." data-link="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/bios/GlennGallery.html"></p><p></p>
<p>The night pioneering astronaut John Glenn died, Jeff Bezos received a message from him.</p>
<p>Smithsonian Magazine was honoring Bezos, founder of aerospace company Blue Origin, at the <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/read-letter-written-sen-john-glenn-honor-jeff-bezos-blue-origin-180961366/?preview">American Ingenuity Awards</a> on December 8.</p>
<p>Glenn was supposed to attend, but because of his declining health in the last month of his life, the former NASA astronaut wrote Bezos a letter on November 28, to be read at the ceremony.</p>
<p>Hours after he passed, Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space, <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/read-letter-written-sen-john-glenn-honor-jeff-bezos-blue-origin-180961366/?preview">read the letter to Bezos at the awards</a>.</p>
<p>"I can tell you I see the day coming when people will board spacecraft the same way millions of us now board jetliners," Glenn wrote. "When that happens, it will be largely because of your epic achievements this year."</p>
<h2>Here's the letter:</h2>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/584b2497a1a45e38468b4574-1453" alt="bezos glenn letter" data-mce-source="Smithsonian Magazine" data-link="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/read-letter-written-sen-john-glenn-honor-jeff-bezos-blue-origin-180961366/?preview"></p>
<p>Blue Origin has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blue-origin-rocket-made-two-launches-and-landings-2016-10">successfully launched and landed several rockets</a> in the last year, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blue-origin-new-glenn-rockets-2016-9">plans to launch its 313-feet-tall New Glenn rockets</a> before 2020.</p>
<p>Before he received Glenn's letter, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/john-glenn-death-tweets-2016-12">Bezos shared his condolences on Twitter Thursday</a>:</p>
<p><div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>
Thank you, John Glenn. Godspeed. </p>— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/806976159166570496">December 8, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></p>
<p>Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-john-glenn-former-us-astronaut-hospitalized-ohio-state-official-2016-12">died Thursday</a> at age 95. He went on to become a US Senator for Ohio, and returned to space in 1998 as the oldest astronaut ever at the age of 77.</p>
<h2>Watch Jemison read Glenn's letter below:</h2>
<p><div>
<iframe width="800" height="450" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/j1zqfidW1aI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/john-glenn-death-tweets-2016-12" >'An inspiration to us all': Scientists and space luminaries honor famed astronaut John Glenn</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>DON'T MISS:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/john-glenn-dead-video-orbiting-the-earth-nasa-2016-12" >John Glenn, who died Thursday, was the first American to orbit the Earth — see the original video</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-john-glenn-letter-smithsonian-american-ingenuity-awards-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blue-origin-test-escape-system-new-shepard-rocket-october-2016-9">Jeff Bezos’ space company is about to blow the top off of its rocket on purpose — here’s why</a></p> NASAhttp://www.businessinsider.com/dea-agent-explains-his-job-to-family-mike-vigil-deal-2016-11EX-UNDERCOVER DEA AGENT: What I told my friends and family about my jobhttp://www.businessinsider.com/dea-agent-explains-his-job-to-family-mike-vigil-deal-2016-11
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<p>Retired DEA agent and "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deal-Undercover-Recounts-Standing-Treacherous/dp/1491735198/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1456952937&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=deal&amp;tag=bisafetynet-20">Deal</a>" author Mike Vigil spent roughly 20 years undercover in Mexico and Colombia. He spent a lot of time working alongside killers and drug dealers, but when he went back home things were a lot different. This is what he would say to his friends and family about what he did for a living. </p>
<p><strong>Follow BI Video:</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/BI_Video">On Twitter</a></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dea-agent-explains-his-job-to-family-mike-vigil-deal-2016-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/silicone-bras-to-apply-makeup-2016-12People are using silicone bras to apply makeuphttp://www.businessinsider.com/silicone-bras-to-apply-makeup-2016-12
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